(Shubik, Chpt 1,
1975). In many instances Gaming and Simulation can be used
interchangeably.However, there is a
difference between the two.Games, by
definition, include a human player.Simulations do not necessarily provide direct interaction by a human
after an initial setup.
The uses of each
type of game and simulation transcends the slight difference in definition.
1.Teaching games help instructors to convey principles.In the case of a business simulation,
players are able to be put in business situations that provide start-up
capital and then either profit profits or losses based on the decisions made
over time.
2.Training applications are one of the most common.The students are able to experiment with
the simulator to create situations that might be too dangerous or expensive
to perform live.Examples of these are
medical applications where a medical student operates on a virtual patient or
test pilots trying combat situations that might prove deadly in the
field.If a death of a patient or the
crash of the plane occurs, the simulation can easily be reset.
3.Operational games and simulators provide a double check of
a certain scenario.Here the
participants can go through situations and look for flaws in their
checklists.In a real emergency, there
might not be ability to improve the checklist for deficiencies.
